new 75 gall reef, ? healthy stock levels etc.

[tazdevil]

All right, i have had about as many differing opinions as possible. Especially towards lighing-lfs wants me to buy expensive mh system

, online says my current system w/ 2-65w pc smartlites is enough for most corals

.

maybe lfs wants $. I currently have 2 yellowtail damsels, 2neon gobies, 13 dwrf hermits to attack that hair algae

, thinking about adding a centropyge or dwarf angel-anyone know a safe variety for reef? and a court jester gobie (addtl haire algae control), as well as 2 cleaner shrimp- some natural ich control. Sound like a safe low stocking level or is it too high. Would like to add some mushroom corals as well over the next year. Have seen some gr/red slime algae, cant find source- adding kent liquid calcium, kent liquid essentials, and kent supperbuffer-dkh was added to get ph up. Ph 8.0-8.1, temp 78 degrees f (I know, we need to go to metric, but I'm stubborn!)

Nitrite/ammonia not detectable, slight level of nitrates. Also, anyone familiar with the plenum/live sand idea of eliminating nitrates? LFS says they wouldn't use it, but this is same lfs that told me lighting was inadequate

. Any ideas greatly appreciated, still new to reefkeeping, have had many fish only tanks , and 2 system failures

.

Maybe someday everyone can live in peace

 

[Freddo]

I began my 115G with a plenum back in December. I've had no problems. Since December I've only done about 5 (5 gallon) water changes to try and help with a minor cynobacteria problem I had when my skimmer stopped skimming properly...

Most folks on the boards seem to lean towards a DSB vs. Plenums these days. FYI - if you have sand sifters, you probably do not want to risk a plenum. Water echange between the plenum and the main tank is a bad thing if a sand sifter were to perforate all the way thru to the plenum...

 

[Ben1]

Stock levels are good, but when was the tank set up. Remember to take it slow. This allows time for you bacteria levels to populate correctly. DSB's are great for NNR, I have them in both my systems and never have detectable Nitrate.

Your lighting is good for soft corals. I use on my 40 gallon tall, 2x55 watt PC 5500k and 1 actinic 55 watt PC. I keep in this system some LPS and soft corals. Here is a pic. Every thing in this tank is tank raised except for the bubble coral in the right bottom corner.


Of course for my 75 I wanted to do SPS clams, anything light loving. SO I am using 2 x 400 watt 6500k MH, and 3 x110 watt VHO actinics run by a PFO for my MH and Ice Cap 660 for the VHO. Its really all about what YOU want to keep. HTH

Too Bad My Camera Suck

[ October 09, 2001: Message edited by: Ben ]

 

[esmithiii]

1. Your lights are definitely not enough to keep anything but low-light soft corals.
2. Your stocking plan is definitely way low. Only fish really count towards bioload. No dwarf angel is reef safe.
3. Use a deep sand bed. Your LFS is wrong there (but right on the lighting

) I am not a believer in the plenum.
4. Go easy on the suppliments. Less is better.
5. Frequent water changes- every 2 weeks or once a month.
4. Get this book and read it cover to cover:

Natural Reef Aquarium by John Tullock

These are just my opinions, but they work for me.

 

[John 3:16]

my novice opinion
1. lights- maybe able to keep soft corals, mushrooms, and other low light corals(lps and sps probably not able to keep and have them thrive(just a guess somebody help on this one)
2.fish load- seems good to me
3. live sand - people on this board really seem to like it. needs to be fairly deep with lots of critters in it so it will stay stirred . i also like the idea of a refugium either in your sump or set up a small aquarium. this can provide for a place to raise the copopods, isopods, worms etc. and you can grow macro algea in it and harvest it out reducing nitrates.

i also have a 75 gallon. i chose an icecap660 running 4 110 watt bulbs(2 whites 2 blues) and added 2 25 watt actinics for the daylight dusk effect.

just my 2 cents

 

[Rich-n-poor]

your lighting is sufficent for mushrooms and possibly some leather corals (but this is iffy) 130 watts on 75 gallon is less than 2 watts a gallon. 4 watts a gallon is a standard target to aim for

also if your pcs are the same as mine they are about 24 inches long if you place them both in the center that leaves at least 18 inches on each end poorly lit If you place them end to end it would seem to me that it becomes the equivalent of only one 65 watt pc over the same hieght of tank

i would suggest either adding another pc retrofit or perhaps a 175 watt metal halide retofit to the existing lighting

_________________
Honda VF400F

 

[Ben1]

With the lighting you have now,
you could go for mushrooms, polyps (zooanthids , palythoa), leathers if place high on the rock work, colt coral placed high, and maybe some types of xenia.

This really isnt a bad place to start. Get some exp. with general coral care and a stable system going. You dont NEED more light but you might WANT it eventually so you can keep more types of corals.

 

[tazdevil]

Thanks everyone, ben-thinking mainly mushrooms as I have read/heard they are more low maintenance and with my job, time is tough to come by. But not ruling out later upgrades (there of course is a money thing

). IS there any dwarf angel that would be good in a reef with mushrooms? Anyone had exp. with multicolor or nahackyi dwarfs-good/bad/ugly?

 

[naesco]

The biggest problem with fish deaths are new reefers adding too many fish too quickly.
Stay where you are at for a month or so and add no more than one fish a month and you will be fine. Avoid angels in reefs. Resist the urge to get a tang which will soon outgrow your tank.
Good Luck

 

[esmithiii]

I will respectfully disagree (once again on this subject) w/ naesco. Your tank is big enough for one of several species of tangs.

E

 

[SPC]

Poof, hey Naesco, hows it going? As usual I will put in my respectful disagreement of Ernie's stocking thoughts

, IMO a 75 is too small for tangs. I have a feeling there is a good chance that the old she goat will show up soon.

Steve